200 brands sign the International Accord to ensure worker safety in the garment industry
200 global brands and retailers have now signed the International Accord since it took effect in September 2021.
A total of 200 brands and retailers have now signed the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry since it came into effect on September 1, 2021. These brands cover around 1700 factories and 1.8 million workers in Bangladesh. View the full list of International Accord signatories here.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the milestone of reaching 200 signatories and are inspired by the growing number of brands and retailers joining the International Accord, showing the widespread commitment to worker safety in the textile and garment industry. The Accord Secretariat looks forward to continuing our collaboration with all signatories as we strive towards creating a safer textile and garment industry,” said Joris Oldenziel, Executive Director of the International Accord Foundation.
The International Accord is a legally binding agreement between garment brands and global trade unions, IndustriALL Global Union, and UNI Global Union, with a mission to ensure safe workplaces in the textile and garment industry. The agreement promotes worker safety through independent inspections, remediation, and training programs and recognises the rights of workers to organise, refuse unsafe work and raise health and safety concerns. The International Accord enables the collective efforts of brands and retailers to ensure safe workplaces.
As we reach 200 signatories, we encourage more garment and textile brands to sign the International Accord and the Pakistan Accord to work collectively for a safer garment and textile industry.
Resources
Related updates
August 3, 2023
The Accord Secretariat has published the first list of suppliers covered under the Pakistan Accord comprising information on over 400 factories supplying 52 Pakistan Accord signatory brands.
July 11, 2023
The pilot safety assessments were initiated in September 2022 to inform the Accord's ongoing feasibility studies and establish an effective safety inspection and remediation program in Pakistan.
June 29, 2023
The Global Fashion Summit organised by the Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), was held from 27-28 June at the Copenhagen Concert Hall in Denmark.
November 20, 2023
The International Accord conducted the first round of initial inspections at factories supplying to Pakistan Accord brands in Lahore and Karachi between 16 – 28 October 2023.
November 6, 2023
Global brands and trade unions have renewed the International Accord to enhance health and safety in supply chains in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and other countries in the future.
August 24, 2023
Accord Steering Committee members, Bestseller and IndustriALL, discuss the evolution, impact, and way forward for the collaboration between brands and unions since the first Accord was signed in 2013.